Cannabidiol reduces the anxiety induced by simulated public speaking in treatment-naive social phobia patients

24 treatment-naive patients with generalised social anxiety disorder received a single 600 mg dose of cannabidiol (n = 12) or placebo (n = 12) 90 minutes before a simulated public speaking test, alongside 12 untreated healthy controls. Cannabidiol significantly reduced anxiety, cognitive impairment and discomfort during the speech and reduced alertness in the anticipatory phase, while the placebo group showed markedly higher anxiety, cognitive impairment, discomfort and alertness than healthy controls. The rise in Negative Self-Statement scores seen in the placebo group was almost abolished with cannabidiol, and CBD-treated patients did not differ significantly from healthy controls.